Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel hopes the Bundesliga champions can ‘finalise’ a deal to bring in Eric Dier from Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur imminently.
The former Chelsea, Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain boss knows from experience that nothing is done until the fat lady sings. It is only a few months since Joao Palhinha flew to Munich for a medical, only to perform the most dramatic of U-turns and stay put with Fulham, after all.
Fortunately for Tuchel, however, the fat lady appears to be practicing her scales and clearing her throat.
Eric Dier was filmed arriving at the airport on Thursday morning, the long-serving Tottenham defender set to put pen to paper with a club who signed his former Spurs team-mate Harry Kane late last summer (Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg).
Eric Dier is leaving Tottenham for Bayern Munich
“We know from experience that things can go wrong even at the last moment,” Tuchel quips, via Fussball News.
“We are trying to finalise the deal (for Dier). We’re trying to finalise the deal and get another option in central defence. (For) everything else, I would like to wait until the agreements between the clubs have been completed and the ink is dry.”
HITC Football reported a couple of days ago that Dier had opened talks with Bayern. The England international, who joined Tottenham from Sporting Lisbon nearly a decade ago, has fallen out of favour under Ange Postecoglou and will be allowed to go with only a few months left on his contract.
Spurs have already agreed to bring in a replacement too in the shape of Radu Dragusin. The £26 million Romanian, ironically enough, chose Tottenham over Bayern, with the latter turning their attention to Dier as a result.
Radu Dragusin in, Dier out
“I have my doubts as to whether he will help Bayern,“ former Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann tells Sky of Dier.
“Four or five years ago, he had a really good spell. Back then, he was an integral part of the national team. This year, he hasn’t played a role, only had four appearances.
“In terms of profile, he’s a player (Bayern Munich) need. He’s strong in the fight, good in the air, very disciplined. It remains to be seen whether he’s in the condition to help Bayern at the moment. If you have six months where you haven’t played or barely played, then you need two or three months to get back into the rhythm.
“If he needs two or three months, then the season is almost over. That’s why I have concerns.”
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